This document describes how to create useful bug reports for crashes of KDE applications.

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This document briefly describes how to create useful bug reports for crashes of KDE applications.

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(''You can get a detailed document at [http://techbase.kde.org/Development/Tutorials/Debugging/How_to_create_useful_crash_reports How to create useful crash reports]'')

===What is a "crash" ?===

===What is a "crash" ?===

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This can be achieved repeating the same steps and situation that leaded to the original crash.

This can be achieved repeating the same steps and situation that leaded to the original crash.

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# If you were told to '''install a specific debug information package''', please do it before repeating the crash. (More information...)

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# If you were told to '''install a specific debug information package''', please do it before repeating the crash. ([http://techbase.kde.org/Development/Tutorials/Debugging/How_to_create_useful_crash_reports#Preparing_your_KDE_packages More information ...])

# Repeat the original steps or situation to '''"reproduce" the crash'''

# Repeat the original steps or situation to '''"reproduce" the crash'''

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''The application crashes and the KDE Crash Handler dialog appears''

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''The application crashes and the KDE Crash Handler dialog appears''

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# Click the '''"Developer Information" tab''' to fetch a new backtrace

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# Click the '''"Developer Information" tab''' in the KDE Crash Handler dialog to fetch a new backtrace

# When finished, '''copy the backtrace and paste it inside the bug report

# When finished, '''copy the backtrace and paste it inside the bug report

A crash or (system crash) in computing is a condition where a program (either an application or part of the operating system) stops performing its expected function and also stops responding to other parts of the system. More information at Wikipedia

A good crash report consists of two parts: a description of how to reproduce the crash and a backtrace of the crash. With any of those elements missing, it is very hard (if not impossible) for developers to tackle the problem.

A useful description should contain everything that you were doing prior to the crash. It should not just say "it crashed".

Examples: Did you click on a button, did you open a particular website or file which caused problems? These little details, which may look useless to you, may be useful for the developers, so just write them down.

A more insightful article on how to write good bug descriptions is available at this link, please read that before reporting bugs.

A backtrace basically describes what was happening inside the application when it crashed, in a way that developers may track down where the mess started. They may look meaningless to you, but they might actually contain a wealth of useful information.

Don't attach the backtrace to the bug report. Instead, simply paste it. This way it is much easier for developers to search for duplicate reports, because attachments can not be searched.

Note

If you are providing a backtrace in a report which does not belong to you, consider that the report could be unrelated to your crash, even when the symptoms are the same. In such cases, just attach the backtrace as a file, so the bug triagers can check it and say if it is the same crash or not